National Supply Network uses its 260,000-product database to save its distributors time and money.

Many distributors find it difficult to figure out exactly what products are available to them, the best methods of sourcing, minimum order information and prepaid freight requirements. It's the kind of information that should be at their fingertips, but is not.

So, they spend a lot of time and money trying to figure it out. 

First, they hire an IT professional to design and develop a database and maintenance procedures that will be effective for business.

Then, they hire a full time staff member or two to hound suppliers for data, and once acquired, to make sure it’s complete and accurate. If it’s not complete, they would go through catalogs and enter the missing data themselves.

Finally, they tie the database into the point-of-sale (POS) system, Web site and other technology used to operate the business. 

Some independent distributors have tried to build and maintain a product database on their own. However, very few succeed, because they don’t carry the weight needed to persuade suppliers that it’s important for them to send complete and accurate data in a timely fashion.

Distributor network NSN, on the other hand, has been successful in accomplishing this feat. It has more than 260,000 product records and 100,000 product images from more than 1,500 sources of supply, organized in a database accessible to NSN distributors.

As part of its technology fee, NSN distributors gain access to the database in several ways:
• From the NSN Intranet site, distributors can download database and image extracts which can then be used in their POS system, as well as for creating catalogs, circulars or marketing materials.  • Distributors can also download Quote Master, NSN’s proprietary PC-based sourcing and quoting software, which is used to determine the best way to source products and to produce professional looking quotes for customers.
• Finally, distributors can add the database to their Web site or, if they prefer, purchase a hosted Web site through NSN that is fully customizable and accesses the database directly from an NSN server to provide full e-commerce capabilities.

NSN can do all of this because its staff negotiates supplier programs on behalf of its distributors, receives the negotiated price level files, scrubs the data and makes the database available to distributors over the Internet every two weeks, or monthly by CD.

Once a supplier realizes that the data will be put in front of thousands of potential customers through distributor systems and Web sites, they are eager to cooperate with NSN.

All in all, NSN has turned the nightmare of maintaining product data into a dream come true for its distributor affiliates.

For more information about National Supply Network, visit www.nationalsupplynetwork.com. 

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